Bonkers

Bonkers

We like bikes

About

Who is Bonkers? We are a team of graphic designers, event coordinators, students, coaches, consultants, teachers, programmers, mechanics and engineers. We're based in Chicagoland with team members all across the country and internationally. Our reach grows with each passing year as we welcome more cyclists into our family.

And that's just it - we're a family with a passion for racing, whether that be on the grass, the road or on the track. As much fun as we have, we are committed to bettering ourselves through competition and bringing new members into the cycling race community.

Our goal is to succeed for Chicago, for our sponsors and for each other. Cycling is first and foremost a community. When you love your teammates, you ride fast!

Say hello!

Chi Cross Cup is sadly over - 'til next year!

December 6, 2016

Thanksgiving Day Ride

December 1, 2016

What is Cyclocross?

October 23, 2016

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News & Updates

Saturday morning rides

March 13th, 2018

We'll be kicking off a new ride starting in 2018 that departs from Mox Multisport on Saturday mornings! The ride will be no drop with a focus on introducing newer riders to group riding. Check back here and on our Facebook for time/route details to be announced!

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All Designed by Us

Meet the Team

We've got a group of individuals across state and country lines, of all ages and all cycling disciplines. What makes us a team isn't our freaky-fast speed, but rather our common friendships that bridge geographic barriers and unique personalities.

Derek Burge-Beckley

"I got no time for 3-5 sentences. Can I do like 7 words that tickle my fancy and leave it at that? I'm just not so great at the description that I'm sure these self written miniature autobiographies require. In addition I've been out of the habit so long that I have no idea whats cool or hip that anyone would be bothered to read. Also I'm starving at work."

Eric Epifanio

"I got into cycling because of the sweet culture and also as a way to maintain a competitive spirit in my old age. I'm so lucky to now be a part of the Bonk fam! Affinity for tattoos, Chinese food, pop music, home brewing, and Chicago sports teams. #coffeeoutside lover."

Paul Hartner

"I like riding bikes. Riding bikes very fast is even more fun. I was once a runner, but the moment I hopped on a road bike, I became a convert to the holy bonk. The running shoes, ankle socks, and split shorts were ditched for ridiculous amounts of carbon and bike debt. Now I race road and cross, and I even occasionally embarrass myself on a mountain bike."

Alex Helbach

"I've been crushing it in Chicago since 2011. I'm a graphic designer, illustrator, and pizza eater. I appreciate getting out of the big city to go riding, camping, and hiking. My most-liked bike-related item of clothing is my Swift Industries cycling cap."

Anna Henschel

Hometown: Northbrook, IL

Current: Chicago, IL

Favorite discipline: Whichever one I haven't tried yet

"I started cycling after college when I had too much free time and no friends...thanks to bikes now I have tons of friends and no free time. I like racing but I love touring, and more than anything I love getting people to ride bikes and realize just how amazing it is!"

Marton Merritt

"I love racing bikes because it takes me back to the days when I was like 10, when we'd hit up the neighborhood trails on our Huffys. I've met a ton of awesome people from the Chi town scene and I enjoy structured training to improve. Bang bang."

Ben Siver

"Ben was introduced to road cycling during his senior year at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Starting out racing with little experience and even less fitness initially proved frustrating for him, but these challenges were eventually overcome by a new-found addiction to the sport (and the amount of food it allows one to eat). When not riding or working on bikes, he can usually be found seeking out new craft beer, checking out a new restaurant, or chillin’ with his awesome cat, Paul."

Max Wacker

"Cycling has saved my life in more ways than one. I'm not very good at it but it's always there for me - I can always rely on it. That fact has brought me to a team and a community that I can also rely on no matter what. Even when I feel like garbage, the bike, the team, and the community is always there regardless if they realize it or not."

Lily Williams

"I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn't even matter. I had to fall to lose it all. But in the end, it doesn't even matter. I had to fall to lose it all. But in the end, it doesn't even matter. One thing, I don’t know why, it doesn't even matter how hard you try. Keep that in mind, I designed this to rhyme, to remind myself how I tried so hard."

Zernyu Chou

Zernyu is a Bonk Elder, one of the founders of the team that still exists today despite its constant evolution. He says: "I race because it feeds my adrenaline junkie appetite and being a part of an amazing crew of driven teammates is one of the best things in life. I've been away from racing since leaving Chicago though, and I miss it and the BonkFam dearly!"

Thomas Kehrer

Hometown: Savannah, GACurrent Location: Somewhere on his bike in the U.S.A. We think.Favorite Discipline: Road

Thomas is hard to reach right now. But his life story will blow your mind.

Jack Thornburg

"My love for cycling came from triathlon - I know, don't judge me. After racing cyclocross to stay in shape during the off-season, I realized that cycling rules and swimming / running drools. I haven't fully kicked the triathlon habit, but I'm excited to be on a team that loves me no matter what."

Lauren Wiscomb

"Lauren is a recently retired derby girl tearing it up on a bike around the U.S. right now. She went to school in Madison where she would commute via bike to go out with her friends before returning to Chicago and working at our awesome home base, Turin Bicycle. She just got her first smartphone."

Seth Herr

"When I was 15 my grandfather told me I'd stop biking as soon as I could drive. He was wrong about a lot of things."

Jim Maddock

"Hi! I grew up in a small town in Southern Maine, even though everyone I know from Chicago seems to think I’m from Seattle. My first love is mountain biking, but out of necessity I’ve come to tolerate road since moving away from home. I’ve been racing road since 2011, the spring of my freshman year of college, and I picked up ‘cross the following year. Most importantly, I don’t believe in bike rides that don’t include coffee."